West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-08-25


horse kicked at her the moment he saw
the skirt, adroitly evading the kick. Les
signed TO the groom 10 put his hand
over Quasimodo's near eve, stole quietly
up 10 the horses shoulder, and barely
touching the hand Marion DevereuN of
tcred, sprang lightly into the saddle.
Drawing the reins gently through her
fingers. she ordered the groom TO back
the horse out. into the street without
letting 20 his head. On the way to the
Park Quasimodo behaved well enough.
but the moment he felt the dirt road be
meath his feet ne laShcd with violence
that made me turn faint. made couple of
awful back jumps, and went up the
West Drive in succession Of mad
plungcs, snatching angrily at the bride
and taking every bit of rein. saw
LeSlie's light figure braced well back.
yielding just enough at each plunge to
ease the jar of landing, heard her clear
voice ring out: STEADY, boy steady,
sir" aud Marion Devercux's "Well done,
well ridden' when Walter, laying hand
gently on my rein, checked Pet Maiorie's
forward start
"Iour cousin is all right, he said.
"Do not follow her too closely; it would
only upset Pet Majorie and spoil Miss
Les.ie's pleasure by anxiety for YOU"
In fact, some twenty minutes later,
when we came up with the other two,
Quasimodo and NindcX were calmly
walking side 10y side, rubbing noses, and
doubtless discussing the quantity OF oats
and quality Of hay as earnestly as their
riders were arguing the oftcn-mooted
question rs TO whether Omar Khayyam
wero Omar Khayyam, or if Omar Khayyam
M 81
Khayyam could be.
No further pranks on the part of the
quadrupcds marrcd our long and delight.
full ride, until, rs we were returning.
some one proposed that we should take
the hurdle four abreast This was most
sue 'essfully accomplished, and after
jumping we halted under the bridge Just
below TO let Marion DevereuX dismount
and take a stone out OF his horses foot
He was bending down, thus engaged,
whom Walter cried out: Take care
Miss EhghamH But in second, be
fore eslie could gather up her reins on
use her whip, QuasimodO calmly lay
down on his left side, thereby allowing
Les time TO twist herself from under be
fore he rolled over and over in the wettest
place he could find smashing the saddle
to bits and covering himself with mud
from head To foot
Stately Les was q spectacle as she rose
from her undignifcd roll Her shining
yellow hair was plastercd with black
mud hat, habit, and boots were one
mass of sticky wet clay, but her good
humor was unruflcd and she ioined
heartily in the shouts of laughter which
greeted hor as she rose.
Needless TO say, Walter and Marion
both sprang ut once to her assistance, but
beyond wringing out her hair and wiping
off the worst OF the soft mud, little could
be done. Such incidents as this never
troubled Leslie; but when the saddle was
fonud to be hopeless wreck, the question
was how to get home Leslie refused
blank TO go up the foot path and get
on an Eighth avenue car saying nc
would walk TO the entrance OF the park
and let the groom ride on and lead
Quasimodo back to his stable. Mnrion
Dcvercux at once proposed TO put Leslie
on NlndcX (she could ride quite well side
ways on mans saddle and walk by her.
TO my surprise Leslie did not reject
this plan, nor when Walter suggested that
he aud ! should ride forward and send
carriage and wraps to meet her at the
gate did LES raise any objection.
As IL turned out, that carriage must
have waited a long time. Perhaps Leslie
and Marion took the "long path that
our Autocrat tells Of-the path that it
takes a lifetime to follow TO the end.
Certain it is that hours passed before
Leslie reached home, and it was not long
before the columns Of the Goth0a Cht1
C,Gt published as a social happening the
engagement Of Miss Leslie Efingham to
Mr.. Marion Devereux.
When, where and how Walterand ar-
rived at a life understanding must ever
remain between ourselves. Suffice it To
say that this concluslQn was not reached
until Walter had acknowledged that the
asking me 10 exercise Pet Marjorie was
mere device, that ever since Glass Dav
he had wished to meet me again, and that
he had only deferred speaking so Iono
from the fear oi losing thG Happiness OF
seeing me every day.
Lcslic's ring was a sapphire set in n
gold four leayed clover, and mine sol
taire set in the same way. We had
double wedding, which many still, rsriiem,
Der but b. those in the Secret it was
always called "the quatrefoil wedding"
-Harpcr's B1z1r